Conrad Coates mused.
He stood on top of a tall building, and the surroundings were extremely quiet.
The night sky that would have been cut into a confusing scene by chaotic and brilliant lights now looks exceptionally peaceful. The streets were also given a new look, and the places where the gangs had viciously placed traps had been bulldozed along with the traps.
Life in the den is boring, and gangs will use any means to get rid of this boredom that can drive them crazy - drugs, killing, alcohol, simple physical pleasure, and the simplest thing on Nostramo entertainment activities.
Torture others.
Torturing some innocent people who are just passing by. In this way, you can enjoy a perverted pleasure and the crazy illusion of being superior to others.
The Lord of Midnight slowly raised his right hand and placed it on the cold iron railing.
He gently rubbed its surface with his fingertips, feeling the roughness and coldness, and for a moment he felt as if he was in another world. But he quickly shook off this feeling.
Coates looked at the other end of the night and accurately captured a silhouette extending from the top of a building in the darkness. That was Number Six, which kept watch over Nostramo.
It was there before and it is there now. So, will it be there in the future?
Conrad Coates smiled silently, jumped down from the building on his knees, and passed through the dark night like a ghost. He began to run agilely and smoothly, as easily and naturally as before.
A few minutes later, he climbed through a deliberately left open window and entered another building. And Khalil has been waiting here for a long time.
He leaned against the wall and read a pamphlet leisurely with the help of the dim and soft light above his head. Conrad Coates glanced at it and saw the word "Common Sense" written on it in Low Gothic.
He closed the window to let the temperature inside the room rise, and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Common Sense," Khalil said without looking up. "A manual compiled by Lucretius Corvo. I have to say, he was very professional, Conrad. It even teaches how to prepare a meal based on the seasonings and foods given. Simple and delicious dinner.”
"Does this kind of thing also need to be taught?"
"Not everyone is like you, Conrad." Khalil raised his head and glanced at him. "Mastering twenty-three ways of cooking rat is quite an achievement."
"Then you also like to eat fried rats." Conrad Coates glanced back with the same attitude. "And I'm not proficient, I haven't practiced it yet - do you want to give it a try?"
"No, thank you for your kindness. Let's choose some normal ingredients." Khalil chuckled, put away the manual, and placed it on the long table beside him.
This is a conference room with dark red carpet, simple decoration and high ceiling, which is enough for them. A huge screen stayed quietly at the front of the long table, not yet activated. It looked like a mirror, reflecting the two figures at this end of the long table.
Cozz curled his lips, unwilling to continue on this topic - he already understood why Khalil insisted on hoping that he would not eat rats, so this memory has now become a kind of memory. Embarrassing moments with a bit of a nauseating urge.
He approached the book, picked it up, and began to read it himself.
Strictly speaking, only three people will participate in this meeting, him, Khalil, and Lucretius Corvo, so Konrad Curze doesn't want to appear too serious - besides, he will do it later Nor did he want to tell Lucretius Corvo about the Battle of Harkossus in a serious tone.
The whole thing sounded appalling enough on its own, if he said it with a straight face and a serious tone
"Bang, bang, bang."
What a coincidence.
The Lord of Midnight narrowed his eyes, closed the manual, and placed it back on the long table.
Khalil had already walked over and opened the door. Lucretius Corvo, who was wearing a light blue uniform, stood straight outside the door, waiting for the next words without looking away - he still maintained that calm attitude. Never show the slightest hint of casual severity in formal situations.
Khalil sighed, turned aside, and invited him in.
"You don't have to be so serious at all, Lucretius." Conrad Coze couldn't help but smile. He gestured for the Ultramarines to sit in front of him, but Lucretius did not He didn't do it immediately, but glanced at Khalil first.
"How could I go so far?" the Ultramarine said with a serious face. "The position next to you should belong to Instructor Khalil or your first company commander."
"Okay, okay-" Khalil sighed and pulled him to the table and sat down. "—You've been working painstakingly on Nostramo for a whole year, Lucretius, and the results are amazing."
Konrad Coates took over his words: "We have nothing but gratitude for you, so let's talk to each other in a different way and stop being so serious. There are only three people in this meeting."
"but I."
"It's okay." Conrad Coze nodded to him, and Lucretius stared into those completely dark eyes and had no choice but to obey.
He had dealt with many Primarchs, and it seemed to him that they usually had strong emotions befitting their size. At this moment, what he saw in the eyes of the Lord of Midnight was an obvious kindness.
This is completely different from Khalil Lohars. Although this instructor was also tall, he acted a little too calm most of the time. Everything was hidden, and there was no way to see any obvious emotional reaction from him.
“I’m grateful for all your hard work this year,” Conrad Coates said after he finally took his seat. "And this gratitude cannot be expressed in words, Lucretius."
"To this end, I hope that you can return to Macragge with a batch of gifts after the three-year term is over. I know that you are not doing this for reward, but I cannot not give it. In addition, I also ask for your forgiveness. I brought it up so early that I wasn’t really sure if I would still be at Nostramo three years later.”
The Ultramarines nodded silently - Konrad Curze had covered all the points he wanted to refute without leaking, and, judging from the current situation, he might have covered it with adamantine.
"So."
Conrad Coates made a gesture thoughtfully: "I believe you have heard about what I want to talk to you on the way here, Lucretius?"
"Yes, sir." The Ultramarine nodded, his voice hoarse with some emotion - he was not stupid, of course he realized something. Whether it was this meeting alone, or the worry caught in the eyes of the Lord of Midnight at this moment.
"I must confess one thing to you, Lucretius, although this matter may become countless buried secrets in the future. However, there are three planets in Harkossus. It is a federation and a A lie, a vicious trap."
Conrad Coates put down his hands. Both of his hands were now placed on the table, staying quietly. His fingers were slender, and the blood vessels were clearly visible on the pale backs of his hands.
Lucretius felt dazed, wondering why he had started looking at the back of a Primarch's hand. His throat rolled up and down, and he was immediately ready to continue listening.
So the Lord of Midnight continued.
"The Ultramarines First Chapter and your father were responsible for Harkossus III - it has now been completely destroyed, reduced to a floating pile by the orbital bombardment of Macragge's Flaor. The rubble of a dark vacuum. But, before that, something bad happened."
".What is it, my lord?"
"Your father is wounded," Conrad Curze said, and Lucretius began to breathe faster.
"He was cynically plotted, and the Harkossians took advantage of his desire to regain their lost territory by peaceful means. They launched a shameless sneak attack, with dozens of bastards wearing self-destruct vests at close range. He charged forward with your primarch wearing only ceremonial armor."
Lucretius Corvo's expression looked as pale as if he was going to die - or rather, he was already dead - the Ultramarine took several deep breaths to calm down, and he spoke hoarsely: "Please You told me he was okay.”
"Of course he's fine," Kurtz replied softly. "He is a primarch, Lucretius. He was just caught off guard by this sudden attack."
"He has long since recovered and is now fulfilling the traditions of your Ultramarines. Remember? Harkossus is a Federation, and he protected the innocent civilians on the only remaining Harkossus One. Until the Empire The colonial fleet has arrived."
Lucretius let out a long breath.
"Anyway, that's the specific situation." Coze said, looking at the Ultramarines who were still recovering emotionally, and even made a joke again. "I really should have asked my Third Captain, Felzalost, to do this."
"Well?"
"Inside information, don't tell others." Coz winked at him. "During the time when I first returned to the Legion, Feir was given a new nickname by his brothers because he often reported some bad news to me. They called him the mourning bird."
The corners of the Ultramarine's mouth began to twitch: "It's really a very special title."
"It fits their character very well." The Midnight Lord raised the corners of his mouth and showed an obvious smile. What happened after that was very logical - Lucretius said goodbye and returned to work.
Although the news shocked him for a moment, he was heartened by the knowledge that the Primarch was okay and might even pass through Nostramo on his way back.
At the same time, the gentle attitude shown by Conrad Coates also made him feel a unique sense of pride after being treated with respect. Of course, he didn't know that Konrad Coates, who he regarded as very rational and gentle, was complaining loudly in the conference room at this moment.
"I can't believe Robert wanted me to lie to his heir."
Kurtz covered his forehead, leaned back, and lay on the chair.
"How long can he stay on that planet? There will definitely be something wrong with his appearance by then, and then Lucretius Corvo will find out that I lied to him."
"White lies are nothing, Conrad." Khalil replied in a low voice. He lowered his head and continued reading the pamphlet. "And Lucretius understands why his primarch demanded that this matter be kept secret."
"Your tone sounds like-" Conrad Coates suddenly sat up from his chair and looked at Khalil's profile with suspicion. "——It seems like you have some plans that you don't want to tell me."
"Is it that obvious?"
Khalil laughed dumbly. He shook his head and said: "The truth about the subspace cannot be hidden, Konrad. Therefore, Lucretius Corvo will discover the truth sooner or later, just as he will sooner or later It’s going to be like being a company commander.”
"Will he become company commander?"
"The fact that he was selected by Robert Guilliman and brought 499 Ultramarines to support us is enough to explain the problem, isn't it? The number of Ultramarines is much higher than ours, and Luke Lesho stands out among his brothers.”
"So, I deceived an Ultramarines captain." Konrad Curze said in a deliberately low tone.
"."
Khalil sighed again, this was the third time today - he slowly put the book down, then turned his head and spoke calmly to Konrad Coates.
"You're not good enough, Conrad," he said deadpan. "Besides, I don't have any plans that I don't want to tell you. In fact, I have a plan, but I won't not tell you."
"Really?"
"of course it's true."
Khalil pushed the booklet over and turned to the last page, and the content on that page made Conrad Coates's face become strange in an instant.
"The savior of Nostramo."
Khalil spoke slowly, with a strange expression on his face, and his voice was low, almost sounding like an automated voice announcement from a ship.
"Conrad Curze and his Eighth Legion came from afar to save Nostramo on behalf of the Empire. I have to admit one thing, the Ultramarines may really be born political masters. He is already looking for a reason for you to rule Nostramo reasonably and legally that everyone is willing to agree to."
"I-" Cozz pursed his lips, his expression extremely complicated. "——Isn't this a little too fast?"
"Well I don't think so, but it doesn't matter if you don't want to be the ruler." Khalil shrugged and stood up. "Just make sure Nostramo gets better, right?"
He left the meeting room with a smile and gave the remaining thinking time to Conrad Coates. After all, time alone is always precious.
As for himself, he had another meeting to hold, a meeting across the stars.
A meeting with Markhand Malcador.
This chapter is 4k and updated.
(End of chapter)
